Asbestos Exposure

Once you have been exposed to asbestos, you carry the lifelong risk of developing serious and debilitating diseases, including: 

  • Asbestosis
  • Lung cancer
  • Mesothelioma

Unfortunately for many American laborers, exposure to asbestos in the workplace was especially common throughout much of the 20th century as countless companies incorporated asbestos into their products.

Still not banned in the United States, asbestos exposure continues to occur today.

While workplace exposure remains the number one cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, exposure to asbestos can also occur during military service and in older buildings, including schools, homes, and offices.

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is strong, durable, and resistant to heat, electricity, and water damage — but it is also incredibly dangerous.

Commercial mining of asbestos began in the late 19th century and carried on through much of the 20th century in the United States. Given the organic properties that make asbestos useful, it was hailed as a “miracle mineral” and used heavily in construction materials to make and insulate buildings, ships, cement, and automobiles, among many other applications.

However, asbestos was soon linked to serious health issues like mesothelioma. While the science behind the health dangers of asbestos was well-known to companies involved in the manufacturing of asbestos-containing products, these companies hid the truth from workers and consumers in order to keep profiting.

Asbestos-Related Diseases

What makes asbestos dangerous is its makeup. Asbestos is made of stringy, microscopic fibers that bundle together. When asbestos is disturbed, these microscopic fibers can then become airborne. Once the fibers are in the air, people can unknowingly breathe them in or ingest them.

Inside of the body, asbestos fibers can get lodged in the pleural lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen, sparking the slow development of cancerous tumors. In the case of mesothelioma, it can take anywhere from 20-50 years before symptoms of mesothelioma present themselves.

Recent research shows that between 12,000-15,000 people die each year from asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer. It occurs when asbestos fibers get stuck in the linings of lungs, abdomen, or heart. As the damage worsens, cells begin to mutate and form cancerous tumors. Symptoms of mesothelioma vary depending on where inside the body it develops.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis occurs when asbestos fibers get stuck in the lungs. As scar tissue and fluids build up in the lung, it gets stiffer. This makes it hard for the affected person to breathe. Symptoms of asbestosis include a constant cough and shortness of breath.

Lung Cancer

Asbestos-related lung cancer is rare, but it can also occur as a result of exposure to asbestos. Unlike mesothelioma, lung cancer develops in the lung itself. Lung cancer symptoms are marked by a bloody cough, chest pain, and sudden weight loss.

Asbestos Occupations & Sites

The number of industries that used asbestos expanded as companies found new uses for the mineral. Huge industries developed around those who manufactured, refined, and sold asbestos-based products. However, these companies also knew that asbestos fibers could cause long-term health problems.

Though those in charge of asbestos companies knew the risks, they did not tell the public or the U.S. government. It was not until the 1970s that the dangers of asbestos became well known. By that point, thousands of people had already been exposed to asbestos.

Given the wide use of asbestos across dozens of industries, thousands of people were needlessly put at risk. Between 1979 and 2001, more than 230,000 Americans have died from asbestos-related diseases.

Asbestos Occupations

Occupations and industries that exposed people to asbestos include (but are not limited to):

  • Aerospace: Aircraft mechanics were exposed to asbestos contained in brakes, brake linings, sealing gaskets, and insulation.
  • Automotive: Asbestos was used in auto parts subject to friction such as brakes, clutches, and gaskets.
  • Construction: Asbestos was used in thousands of construction materials, putting workers who handled them at risk. Certain types of cement, roofing, plaster, wallboard, paint, and other products often used asbestos.
  • Homemaking: The homes of asbestos workers may have been hotbeds for exposure, too. Wives of asbestos workers may have been exposed to the material from washing the dusty clothing of their husbands. Children who hugged their fathers upon returning from work were also exposed to asbestos.
  • Manufacturing: Workers in plants where asbestos products were created are at a high risk of illness later on. Cement plants, steel mills, textile mills, and many other manufacturing plants may have put employees in danger.
  • Metal Working: In the metal industry, protective clothing and work areas often used asbestos because it resisted heat and fire.
  • Military: Military veterans are one of the largest groups affected by asbestos exposure. Asbestos was used extensively in shipbuilding from World War II until the late 1970s. It was also used in vehicles, military bases, and equipment.
  • Railroad: Asbestos was used to insulate locomotives. It was also used in brake and clutch linings.
  • Shipbuilding: Asbestos-based products were widely used aboard ships. Boilers, incinerators, hot water pipes, and steam pipes are just a few dangerous products. Asbestos was also used to soundproof rooms and protect engine rooms from heat.

Asbestos in the Workplace

Even if you didn’t work directly in the asbestos industry, you could still be at risk. For example, some children and young adults have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in rare cases. Obviously, they did not work in an asbestos trade for decades. They could have been exposed if their houses or schools were made with asbestos-containing products.

Asbestos exposure sites that put individuals at risk include:

  • Boiler rooms
  • Construction sites
  • Factories
  • Garages/auto repair sites
  • Home renovation sites
  • Laboratories
  • Older schools and homes built before the 1980s
  • Power companies
  • Shipyards
  • Utility companies

Due to the widespread use of asbestos, there are many other potential exposure sites that are not widely known. An asbestos attorney can help determine where you may have been exposed.

Asbestos Exposure Help

If you or someone you love was exposed to asbestos and now has concerning symptoms, do not wait. See a doctor immediately and tell them about your asbestos history. They can determine if your symptoms are due to an asbestos-related disease.

Catching and treating asbestos-related diseases before they spread is the best way to extend your life.

Remember, if you worked for a company that used asbestos, they may be responsible if you got sick.

Sometimes, veterans are concerned that if they file a lawsuit, they may be taking action against the military. Fortunately, this is not true. Asbestos lawsuits are filed against the companies responsible for making asbestos-containing products. No branch of the military will be sued. Additionally, U.S. veterans may be entitled to disability through the VA.

If you have any questions about asbestos diseases or how you might have been exposed, reach out today for a free case review.